Kwanzaa Karamu

Up to 2 months before

• Make Coriander Bread; store tightly wrapped in freezer.
• Make Cheese-Garlic Biscuits; store tightly wrapped in aluminum foil in freezer.
• Make Butter-Rum Pound Cake, except do not frost. Store tightly covered in freezer.

Up to 1 Day Before

• Make Colorful Black Bean Salad; store covered in refrigerator.
• Make Squash and Bean Soup; store covered in refrigerator.
• Remove cake from freezer; frost cake. Store loosely covered.

About 10 Hours Before Serving

• Make Slow Cooker Jambalaya.

The Morning Of

• Cut up onion, squash and yams for African Squash and Yams; cover and refrigerate.
• Remove bread and biscuits from freezer; store at room temperature.

About 1 Hour Before Guests Arrive

• Make Spicy Corn Fritters; keep warm in oven following recipe tip.

About 1 1/2 Hours Before Serving

• Make Moroccan Chicken with Olives.

About 30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive

• Make Hot Spiced Cider.

About 25 Minutes Before Serving

• Make African Squash and Yams.
• Make Hot and Spicy Greens.
• Heat Squash and Bean Soup.

About 10 Minutes Before Serving

• Heat biscuits in aluminum foil in 350°F oven until hot.

About 30 Minutes Before Dessert

• Make Banana-Coconut Bake.

• Decorate with the Kwanzaa colors of black, red and green.
• Include these items for celebrating:
• Flag (bendera ya taifa)
• Poster of the seven principles (nguzo saba)
• Straw mat (mkeka)
• Candleholder (kinara) with 3 red, 1 black and 3 green candle
• Bowl of fruit and vegetables (mazao)
• Ears of corn (muhindi)
• Unity cup or goblet (kikombe cha umoja)
• African art
• Books about Africans and African culture

Family Activities

• Create a family tree. Talk about your ancestors and relatives while sharing photographs.

• Create a song or story.

• Enjoy movies (from the library or rented) on African culture.

• Make gifts to share (in addition to the gifts to children of a heritage symbol and book given on January 1). A few food gifts include: Rosemary-Garlic Vinegar, Lickety-Split Spoons and Chex® Caramel Corn.